Node authentication, certificates and Certification Authority
Each device - connected to a network - will receive a unique identifier: the X.
509 certificate, a digital passport. Any device on the network is only allowed
to communicate with another node of which it is holding the certificate in a
‘communication allowed’ table.
A Certification Authority (CA) is responsible for creating a certificate. The CA
can be the hospital, the manufacturer or a third party.
This CA distributes the certificate to the hospital security responsible or
service technician, who for his part:
• Imports the device certificate, created by the CA.
• Imports the certificates of all peer devices with which communication is
authorized, i.e. creates the list of ‘communication allowed’ device
certificates.
46
| Dry 2.4M | Introduction
2652B EN 20210601 1655
